Vehicle and vehicle components

Abstract

A position adjusting arrangement for use in a vehicle includes a seat for supporting a rider, a rear wheel and a front wheel, a steering arrangement including a handle bar for allowing the rider to control the steerable wheel, and a hub for interconnecting the components of the wheeled vehicle. The position adjusting arrangement includes an adjustable seat support arrangement movably connected to the hub, an adjustable handle bar support arrangement movably connected to the hub, and a releasable position locking arrangement configured to lock the position of the components of the vehicle relative to the hub. The hub may include a first portion and second portion, wherein the first and second portions are moveably connected to one another, such as by pivoting, sliding, or a combination of pivoting and sliding.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A position adjusting arrangement for use in a wheeled vehicle including a seat for supporting a rider, a plurality of wheels with at least one of the wheels being a steerable wheel, a steering arrangement having a handle bar for allowing the rider to control the steerable wheel, and a main vehicle body for interconnecting the seat, the plurality of wheels, and the steering arrangement of the wheeled vehicle, the position adjusting arrangement comprising:
 a hub defining a portion of the main vehicle body, said hub comprising:
 a first portion that is connected to one of the wheels; 
 a second portion that is connected to at least one of the adjustable seat support arrangement and the adjustable handle bar support arrangement; and 
 a hub positioning arrangement that is configured to allow the first portion of the hub to move relative to the second portion of the hub; 
 
 an arrangement for connecting the wheels to the main vehicle body and for connecting at least one of the wheels to the hub; 
 an adjustable seat support arrangement for connecting the seat to the main vehicle body, the adjustable seat support arrangement being movably connected to the main vehicle body; 
 an adjustable handle bar support arrangement for connecting the handle bar to the main vehicle body, the adjustable handle bar support arrangement being movably connected to the main vehicle body; and 
 a releasable position locking arrangement that is releasable by the rider when the rider is riding the vehicle, the position locking arrangement being configured to lock relative positions of the main vehicle body, the adjustable seat support arrangement, and the adjustable handle bar support arrangement when the position locking arrangement is not released by the rider, the position locking arrangement further including a hub position locking arrangement for locking the position of the first portion of the hub relative to the second portion of the hub. 
 
     
     
       2. A position adjusting arrangement according to  claim 1  wherein the vehicle is a human powered vehicle selected from the group of vehicles consisting of a bicycle, a tricycle, and a quadracycle. 
     
     
       3. A position adjusting arrangement according to  claim 1  wherein;
 the position adjusting arrangement further includes a variable length link for connecting the adjustable seat support arrangement to the adjustable handle bar support arrangement, the variable length link having a first end that is pivotally connected to the adjustable handle bar support arrangement and a second end that is pivotally connected to the adjustable seat support arrangement; and 
 the position locking arrangement includes a link locking arrangement for locking the variable length link at a desired length. 
 
     
     
       4. A position adjusting arrangement according to  claim 1  wherein the adjustable seat support arrangement and the adjustable handle bar support arrangement are pivotally connected to one another at a same pivot point that they are pivotally connected to the main vehicle body. 
     
     
       5. A position adjusting arrangement according to  claim 1  wherein the hub positioning arrangement includes a slidable track connecting the first portion of the hub to the second portion of the hub. 
     
     
       6. A position adjusting arrangement according to  claim 1  wherein the second portion of the hub is connected to the first portion of the hub and the hub positioning arrangement is provided by the pivoting of the second portion of the hub relative to the first portion of the hub. 
     
     
       7. A position adjusting arrangement according to  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of wheels, the seat support arrangement, and the handle bar support arrangement are each pivotally movable relative to the main vehicle body. 
     
     
       8. A position adjusting arrangement according to  claim 1  wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the hub is movable relative to the main vehicle body. 
     
     
       9. A position adjusting arrangement according to  claim 8  wherein the at least one of the first portion and the second portion is pivotally movable relative to the main vehicle body. 
     
     
       10. A position adjusting arrangement according to  claim 5  wherein the vehicle is a human powered vehicle selected from the group of vehicles consisting of a bicycle, a tricycle, and a quadracycle. 
     
     
       11. A position adjusting arrangement according to  claim 5  wherein:
 the position adjusting arrangement further includes a variable length link for connecting the adjustable seat support arrangement to the adjustable handle bar support arrangement, the variable length link having a first end that is pivotally connected to the adjustable handle bar support arrangement and a second end that is pivotally connected to the adjustable seat support arrangement; and 
 the position locking arrangement includes a link locking arrangement for locking the variable length link at a desired length. 
 
     
     
       12. A position adjusting arrangement according to  claim 5  wherein the adjustable seat support arrangement and the adjustable handle bar support arrangement are pivotally connected to one another at a same pivot point that they are pivotally connected to the second portion of the hub. 
     
     
       13. A position adjusting arrangement for use in a wheeled vehicle including a seat for supporting a rider, a plurality of wheels with at least one of the wheels being a steerable wheel, a steering arrangement having a handle bar for allowing the rider to control the steerable wheel, and a hub for interconnecting the seat, the plurality of wheels, and the steering arrangement, the position adjusting arrangement comprising:
 an arrangement for connecting the wheels to the hub; 
 an adjustable seat support arrangement for connecting the seat to the hub, the adjustable seat support arrangement being movably connected to the hub; 
 an adjustable handle bar support arrangement for connecting the handle bar to the hub, the adjustable handle bar support arrangement being movably connected to the hub; 
 a releasable position locking arrangement that is releasable by the rider when the rider is riding the vehicle, the position locking arrangement being configured to lock relative positions of the hub, the adjustable seat support arrangement, and the adjustable handle bar support arrangement when the position locking arrangement is not released by the rider; 
 a variable length link for connecting the adjustable seat support arrangement to the adjustable handle bar support arrangement, the variable length link having a first end that is pivotally connected to the adjustable handle bar support arrangement and a second end that is pivotally connected to the adjustable seat support arrangement; and 
 a link locking arrangement for locking the variable length link at a desired length. 
 
     
     
       14. A position adjusting arrangement according to  claim 13  wherein the vehicle is a human powered vehicle selected from the group of vehicles consisting of a bicycle, a tricycle, and a quadracycle. 
     
     
       15. A position adjusting arrangement according to  claim 13  wherein the adjustable seat support arrangement and the adjustable handle bar support arrangement are pivotally connected to one another at a same pivot point that they are pivotally connected to the hub. 
     
     
       16. A position adjusting arrangement according to  claim 13  wherein:
 the hub includes a first portion that is connected to one of the wheels, a second portion that is connected to at least one of the adjustable seat support arrangement and the adjustable handle bar support arrangement, and a hub positioning arrangement that is configured to allow the first portion of the hub to move relative to the second portion of the hub; and 
 the position locking arrangement includes a hub position locking arrangement for locking the position of the first portion of the hub relative to the second portion of the hub. 
 
     
     
       17. A position adjusting arrangement according to  claim 16  wherein the hub positioning arrangement includes a slidable track connecting the first portion of the hub to the second portion of the hub. 
     
     
       18. A position adjusting arrangement according to  claim 16  wherein the second portion of the hub is connected to the first portion of the hub and the hub positioning arrangement is provided by the pivoting of the second portion of the hub relative to the first portion of the hub. 
     
     
       19. A position adjusting arrangement according to  claim 16  wherein each of the plurality of wheels, the seat support arrangement, and the handle bar support arrangement are each pivotally movable relative to the hub.